IllinoisParenting Support Groups

We know that while being a parent can be one of the wonderful experiences in life, it can also be one of the most difficult and stressful. In this section of the website we not
only connect you with parenting support groups in Illinois, but also do our best to provide you with the types of information and resources that we believe you may be looking for. For instance, we
have provided information and resources in Illinois regarding financial assistance, free or reduced cost medical and health care, nutrition and child care, pregnancy help, labor and delivery issues and help
on becoming a better parent. Additionally, at the bottom of this page you will find a list of parenting support groups and resources in Illinois and across the country.

Please feel free to return to our home page to read about our commitment to assist pregnant women and birth mothers, free of charge, regardless
of whether they place their child for adoption or parent the child themselves. No matter what, we want to help.

Financial, Medical and Health Care Assistance

There are many types of local, state, and federal assistance for pregnant women, birth mothers and parents. We know that you want to do everything
possible to keep yourself and your child healthy and in the best loving environment. Please note that programs to help provide food, medicine, and other needed items are listed in the next section that is titled "Illinois Nutrition and Free
Food Programs".

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency designed to protect the health and safety of all Americans and to provide essential health care information. It is an excellent website covering a wide variety of heath and disease issues and is
valuable whether you live in Illinois or any other state or country.

Government Benefit Programs is an excellent website for finding government programs to help you and your child. Simply go to
the site, fill out the questionnaire and the site will list all the national government programs for which you qualify. Additionally, information on financial aid and other U.S. government benefits
are listed by agency and subject matter on the U.S. Government benefit website.

MedlinePlus, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, has baby care and health related information from a variety of sources.
It has extensive information from trusted sources on over 700 diseases and conditions. There are also lists of hospitals and physicians, a medical encyclopedia and a medical dictionary, extensive information
on prescription and nonprescription drugs, and health information from the media.

National Organization for Rare Disorders patient assistance program offers free medication
to people who otherwise cannot afford their medications. Patients must meet financial and other program specific criteria to be eligible for assistance.

Prescription Drug Assistance. Some states provide prescription drug assistance to women who are not covered by
Medicaid. Additionally, many drug companies will work with your doctor or health care provider to supply free medicines to those in need.

Reduced Cost Health Care at Hospitals: Hill-Burton facilities are hospitals and nursing homes that have received
money from the federal government and now must provide a certain amount of free or reduced-cost health services every year to those who cannot pay. You may apply for Hill-Burton assistance at any time before
or after you receive care by simply asking for Hill-Burton assistance. To obtain a list of Hill-Burton facilities in your area or for more information on the Hill-Burton program and how to get free or reduced-cost
health care go to www.hrsa.gov.

Vaccines for Children program helps minimize the number of U.S. children who remain unvaccinated.
VFC is a federally funded program that grants free routine immunizations to eligible children. Children who are un-insured or under-insured, who are enrolled in Medicaid, or who are Alaskan or Native American
are eligible. See the Illinois VFC program.

Illinois Nutrition and Free Food Programs

You can make a big difference in your health and your child's health and well being by learning how to provide a balanced diet of healthy foods. This
section lists several government food and nutrition programs, many of which offer free food for you and your child.

Child Nutrition Programs in Illinois: U.S. government information on health and state
agencies administering child nutrition programs. In Illinois the contact for this program is:Illinois NSLP, CACFP (Child), SFSP
Division Administrator
Division of Nutrition Programs & Support Services
Illinois State Board of Education
100 North First Street
Springfield, Illinois 62777-0001
Phone: 217-782-2491

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in Illinois: The Illinois Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children provides
free food, nutrition counseling, and referrals to health and other social services to participants at no charge. WIC serves low-Income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children
up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk.

World Hunger Year website provides a list of resources for food that can make your search
for food assistance easier. Additionally, the Feeding America's website can help you find a food bank or food-rescue
organization that serves your local community.

Delivery and Labor

For many women giving birth to a child can be scary. One of the best ways to conquer your fear is to understand as much as possible about pregnancy, the
labor and delivery process, about hospital or birth center births, and about birth
plans. We suggest that you also visit our site PregnancyAndChildren.com for information to help you understand all about pregnancy,
the when, why and how of induced labor, of having a natural birth, having a cesarean birth and of having an episiotomy. And of course it is always helpful to understand in advance how to deal
with the pain of delivery, what an APGAR score is, issues surrounding bonding, and whether breast feeding or formula feeding is best for you and your baby.

Child Care and Tax Credits

Tax Credits, Exemptions, and Refunds: Many states have their own Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Child Care Credit and Dependent Care Credit. You may be able to file for these credits on both in your state and federal taxes.
Last year over 600,000 families did not take advantage of $238 million in tax refunds for Child Tax Credit. Contact the Illinois
revenue office for more information.

Abuse Shelters

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence
or has a child who is being abused, or is in danger of being abused, there are shelters
where you can stay and 24-hour hotlines you can call for help.

Parenting Skills and Emotional Issues

No matter how hard you try, sometimes you may feel the need to reach out for help and advice in dealing with child
development concerns, child health issues, emotional
problems, parenting, finding a therapist, and more. If your child is adopted you may have special concerns which we
address on the
Illinois adoption support groups page.

American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 pediatricians. Whether you are looking for general information related to child health or for more specific guidelines concerning a pediatric issue, they can help a birth mother or a birth father with concerns about raising a child. The AAP website contains general information for parents of children from birth through age 21.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: BBBSA enables adult volunteers, through a matching and mentoring program, to serve as friends, mentors, and role models for school-aged children and teens. The BBBSA agencies provide professional support and locally-focused programs.

CafeMom focuses on creating a website where mothers can come to get advice, feel supported, and just relax in their role as a parent.

DailyStrength.org is a network of people sharing their advice, treatment experiences, and support.
They have parenting support groups for infants (0 - 12 months), toddlers (1 to 3 year olds), parenting preschoolers (3-5), parenting 5-8 year olds, tweens (9-12), and teenagers (12-18).

Head Start program and Early Head Start are child development programs that serve children from birth to age
5, pregnant women, and their families. The Head Start Locator provides a link for you to find your Illinois Head Start
Programs.

Mothers of Preschoolers: MOPS helps urban, suburban, and rural moms, stay-at-home and working moms, teen, single, and married moms to be the best mothers they can be. MOPS tries to help mothers through relationships established in the context of local support groups.

NurturingNetwork.org offers help, and a toll-free phone number, regarding medical and financial assistance, nurturing homes, educational programs, employment, adoption, and preparation for parenthood. The objective of the Nurturing Network is to ensure that every woman knows that the resources she needs in order to continue her pregnancy are available.

Pregnancy And Children is a comprehensive website that can help any woman who wants to know more about her pregnancy, about the child she has delivered or may give birth to in the near future, and about raising her child.

Teenage mother help: This website is designed for young mothers and mothers-to-be who plan on raising their child. It hopes to support, inform, and connect young mothers so they can better face the challenge of parenting. The site provides free services like young mother discussion/chat groups, a weekly chat with other mothers, a pen pal directory, and links to helpful sites, resources and information.